Malaysia Airlines creates a no-child zone

[dean hizudy 0]

Actually, having flown on more than 60 airlines since 1981 ... I must say that my greatest irritations have been with grown-ups rather than children.

 

Some of these include :

 

- people who MUST stand on the aisle to talk to the friends seated (even as the seat next to their friend is empty). They just MUST be seen ... never mind how many times the crew needed to move up and down the aisle during meal service.

- people who stand in the aisle while a movie is on the main screen (in the days before IFE is common) ... I once had to ask a lady if she intended to stand all the way to London ... she sat down at lightning speed after that and other passengers applauded

- people who play footsie with you by placing their feet in the space beneath the seat in front of me ... I had to tell such people to keep their feet in front of them and if I want to play footsie, I will invite them to do so

- people who recline their seats violently as soon as they finish gobbling down their meal ... and those who do so even before the flight has taken off

- people who rest their hairy arms beyond the armrests ... I truly dislike this and will therefore avoid airlines with 10-abreast B777s such as EK

- people who talk loudly about all their life achievements ... even as their friend's ear is less than a foot from their lips

- people who stand on the aisle or next to the emergency exit to do bending and stretching exercises in a showy manner. I once saw this man who wore an almost-Christmassy outfit doing almost erotic stretches ...

- people who push against the back of your seat when they get out of theirs or when they walk past you in the aisle ... this happened to me throughout my flight on Olympic Airways from BKK to ATH and again on the way back! Recently on my Finnair flight from HEL to SIN, it happened again - they don't seem to need any sleep at any stage of a flight lasting longer than 12 hours.

- people who break wind continually or burp or suck their teeth for a long time after their meals ...

 

Actually, there are lots more instances of irritating grown-ups than I could list right now ...

 

KC Sim

But come to think of it. Who is the one who pay an airline ticket? Adult or kids? Thats why even the adults much irritating (from your experience) they are the main target markets for MAS and most of other airlines...so thats why MAS and other airlines will introduce a policy that will protect their main target market/customer/consumer....

[Josh T 0]

Actually, having flown on more than 60 airlines since 1981 ... I must say that my greatest irritations have been with grown-ups rather than children.

 

Some of these include :

 

- people who MUST stand on the aisle to talk to the friends seated (even as the seat next to their friend is empty). They just MUST be seen ... never mind how many times the crew needed to move up and down the aisle during meal service.

- people who stand in the aisle while a movie is on the main screen (in the days before IFE is common) ... I once had to ask a lady if she intended to stand all the way to London ... she sat down at lightning speed after that and other passengers applauded

- people who play footsie with you by placing their feet in the space beneath the seat in front of me ... I had to tell such people to keep their feet in front of them and if I want to play footsie, I will invite them to do so

- people who recline their seats violently as soon as they finish gobbling down their meal ... and those who do so even before the flight has taken off

- people who rest their hairy arms beyond the armrests ... I truly dislike this and will therefore avoid airlines with 10-abreast B777s such as EK

- people who talk loudly about all their life achievements ... even as their friend's ear is less than a foot from their lips

- people who stand on the aisle or next to the emergency exit to do bending and stretching exercises in a showy manner. I once saw this man who wore an almost-Christmassy outfit doing almost erotic stretches ...

- people who push against the back of your seat when they get out of theirs or when they walk past you in the aisle ... this happened to me throughout my flight on Olympic Airways from BKK to ATH and again on the way back! Recently on my Finnair flight from HEL to SIN, it happened again - they don't seem to need any sleep at any stage of a flight lasting longer than 12 hours.

- people who break wind continually or burp or suck their teeth for a long time after their meals ...

 

Actually, there are lots more instances of irritating grown-ups than I could list right now ...

 

KC Sim

I can so relate to all of that. Thanks for posting. It gave me a good laugh.

I understand that not all children are well-behaved on a flight. What I really can't tolerate is when the parents are making no attempt to curb the behaviour. I personally have no children but, if I did, I wouldn't hesitate to discipline them in public if they continue to behave in the same way after I've told them not to. Anyway, the most irritating thing I've encountered on a flight is the child who keeps kicking my seat. I've come across parents who will do something about and those who don't.

[S V Choong 4]

Personally, I do not know if this is a good or a bad policy. Not having kids myself, while I am apprehensive about having them nearby, I am also sympathetic to parents trying their best to calm their kids down in airplanes. Sadly, many parents do not understand why kids scream in pain - especially during landing. I was on a B727 flight operated by MIAT Mogolian Airlines and this 40-something year old stewardess noticed a young mother struggling with her very small baby which was screaming loudly. She came up and put her mouth to the ear of the baby - and I do not know if she blew into its ears or sucked it - and voila, the kid was calm. Apparently it is something to do with equalising the pressure in the ear and easing the pain in it. I personally take a piece of tissue paper and blow my nose into it to restore the pressure in my ears.

 

While this policy will appease those who dislike having children that inevitably make noise nearby, it would turn off those with children. And with this policy, I can now imagine another category of passengers sitting on the upper deck of the A380 who will complain loudly to the crew if they see any kids there - even if the kids are well-behaved, simply because the rule clearly states that no kids on the upper deck! And they don't even realise that they are perhaps as irritating as any kid could potentially be.

 

What would be the situation if a family wants to travel on an A380 flight ... and all seats on the main deck have already been either allocated or requested for by passengers already booked to fly ... and there are still unsold seats on the upper deck? Will the airline move passengers with pre-allocated or pre-requested seats on the main deck to the upper deck just so that it could accept the booking of this family on the main deck? If yes, does it not upset those who have to move to the upper deck (I personally do not like the upper deck) because they may have elected to sit on the main deck for specific reasons? If MAS does not move the main deck passengers without children to the upper deck just so it could sell seats on the main deck to the family, it would be staring at lost business.

 

Perhaps it might be better for MAS to (internally) agree to where possible not have children on the upper deck ... and as far as possible up to the check-in stage, keep families with children on the main deck but if really need to, then judiciously place only families with older toddlers on the upper deck. That way, the airline has sufficient flexibility to keep its upper deck more exclusive, manage its yield and passenger load factor and avoid having its crew members caught between a rock and a hard place.

 

I agree with an earlier post that noise-cancelling headphones are a great tool to insulate oneself from screaming kids and babies ... I don't like such headphones as it gets rather hot around the ear after a while but find solace and serenity in the type that sticks into the ear channel and then turning on the music softly. That way, I have survived many screaming episodes and never needed to give these poor parents struggling to appease their babies the dirty look. It is tough enough being parents to babies and young kids ... and they don't need the additional pressures of sarcastic calls, dirty looks and other negative signals from fellow passengers. Now they have an airline that does not want them in certain parts of the aircraft.

 

KC Sim

 

Finally a very neutral view about this policy. My exact sentiments, really. Thanks KC.

 

The other issue is that, young kids often need a bassinet and that actually requires a bulkhead/ gallery wall to cling onto. There are not many of those seats around actually. Having a no-child policy means these space are even more precious than ever.

 

I agree with KC, of all the flghts I have taken ranging from short 30 mins to 11 hours. I find the adults most irritating than the kids. I have not come across any uncontrollable kids as some would describe it, I have only ever had a few crying babies and when that happens, you can plug the headset to your ears and that actually helped a lot.

Edited April 9, 2012 by S V Choong

[BC Tam 2]

And with this policy, I can now imagine another category of passengers sitting on the upper deck of the A380 who will complain loudly to the crew if they see any kids there - even if the kids are well-behaved, simply because the rule clearly states that no kids on the upper deck!

I think loop hole already in place

 

From MAR's reply #33

Nevertheless, where there is overwhelming demand for seats in economy class from families with children and infants, resulting in full load in the main deck, we will still accommodate such demand in the 70-seat upper deck economy class zone of our A380.

Admittedly, I guess it will only be a 'once in blue moon' occasion that the 350 capacity main deck is all filled up with pesky kids and accompanying families

 

To add new dimension to issue, how is a 'child' to be defined ?

Yeah, the simple answer would be 11 years and below (based on fare payable) - but beings of that age are so variable in temperament, is it a practical threshold ?

Edited April 9, 2012 by BC Tam

[S V Choong 4]

I think loop hole already in place

 

From MAR's reply #33

Admittedly, I guess it will only be a 'once in blue moon' occasion that the 350 capacity main deck is all filled up with pesky kids and accompanying families

 

To add new dimension to issue, how is a 'child' to be defined ?

Yeah, the simple answer would be 11 years and below (based on fare payable) - but beings of that age are so variable in temperament, is it a practical threshold ?

 

Ah ha, that could well be it... I think in general from 12 onwards, kids beyond ths age will have to pay full fare. May be a way to make sure they get the good return on upper deck?

[Mushrif A 3]

Of course, when you're the Deputy CEO of the airline, rules dont apply and you can put your baby in any cabin you like and annoy other passengers in the process.

[KC Sim 2]

It seems like MAS has had a change of heart ... according to a report by Air Transport World which is partially quoted below:

 

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has moved to distance itself from reports that it would create child-free zones on new Airbus A380 aircraft when it enters the fleet in July (ATW Daily News, March 12).

In a spate of reports, the carrier said it would ban children under 12 from the upper deck of the new planes. However, MAS said that when the main deck is full “we will still accommodate such demand in the 70-seat upper deck economy-class zone of our A380.”

“Arising from the absence of bassinet facility in first class, Malaysia Airlines will accept infant travel in business- and economy-class zones,” MAS Dato’ Mohd Salleh Ahmad Tabrani, EVP-customer experience said in response to questions from ATW

 

 

Is this yet another flip flop ... why can't the management think through something thoroughly and debate such ideas internally and exhaustively before announcing them.

 

KC Sim

[Mohd Suhaimi Fariz 2]

That was the policy from day one - no kids on the upper deck unless the lower deck is full. It's the typical media spin.

[Johan Z 0]

I think the first kid ban news came from Korean travel agency. I remember MH released a statement a day later saying if demand is great, upper deck will be open for kids. It's not flip flopping, but it was MH statement to explain the news.

[Mike P 0]

CNN has talked about it > http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/life/malaysia-airlines-launches-child-free-economy-zone-875833?hpt=ias_c2

 

Response ain't so bad!

[Cire 0]

It may sound a bit anti-social at first with such statement "no-go kids zone", and will easily annoyed any parents out there, me included. But we do have to accept the fact that as much as we needed our own comfort, other traveller too needed theirs.

It would be of great difference if the counter could sit such groups strategically so that everyone could enjoy some decent comfort in flight.

 

Agreed, adult traveller are much more of a nuisance than children, and this can be reflected by which country that you traveled to/fro.

[BC Tam 2]

The subject now a magazine feature on BBC site

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19728508

 

A thought just came by - what if I am child adverse, the child free zone is all filled up

..... the airline promised me peace and quiet

..... the adult seated next to me starts talking to himself for no apparent reason

[KK Lee 5]

According to IHT, 3 April; EK, LH, LY, etc airlines are attracting family/leisure pax and keep young pax occupied with IFE and goodies.